Tourist guides enjoy a Bute-iful day out

FIFTY tourist guides from all over Scotland enjoyed a day-long visit to Bute this week - and saw the island at its very best as it basked in the glorious spring sunshine.

The Blue Badge guides are all members of the Scottish Tourist Guides Association (STGA), the professional body for tourist guides in Scotland, whose day on Bute was organised by the Glasgow and west of Scotland branch of the organisation.

A packed itinerary included Rothesay Castle and Museum as well as a comprehensive tour of Mount Stuart. A tour of the island by coach included a commentary from local dairy farmer and councillor Robert Macintyre, of Dunallan farm, who very kindly gave of his time to tell the guides about farming on Bute and to share his local knowledge of the island.

En route the guides also got a big wave from Taggart actress Blythe Duff, who had organised a birthday party for her husband at Ettrick Bay.

No trip to Bute would be complete without a visit to the iconic Victorian toilets beside the pier, and the group managed to fit in the spending of a penny or two in the beautifully-appointed conveniences before departing on the Wemyss Bay ferry.